It Is Well

"Hymn singing reflects a congregation's spiritual vitality and their response to God's grace.

Horatio Spafford sent his wife and four daughters to Europe intending to meet them there later. The Spafford's ship collided with an English ship and quickly sank. The four Spafford girls were lost. Weeks later, Horatio, sailing to be reunited with his wife, wrote the poem that became a famous hymn. However, in 1880, the Spafford family moved to Jerusalem. History teaches that Horatio became unstable in the years following the deaths of his daughters. This is what the newspapers of the time reported, and it is the story that is often remembered today. However, the Spafford's sixth child published memoirs in which she tells a different story, the simple chronicling of the events that led her family to move to Jerusalem. This play discusses both scenarios from Horatio's perspective. He asks you to decide which story is true. The tale is told with all the necessary elements for you to decide if Horatio Spafford was mentally unstable or if he was trying to continue to conduct himself as a man of God.

The story of the hymn text "It Is well with my soul," written by Horatio Spafford after the drowning at sea of his four daughters.

Church pianists are often asked to provide music that is reflective and meditative in nature. The six hymns in this collection by Martha Mier were chosen because of their beauty and for the messages of comfort and hope that they convey. Titles: * In the Garden * It Is Well with My Soul * Near to The Heart of God * Sweet Hour of Prayer * 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus * What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Pastors Dever and Lawrence expound key biblical texts on the atonement to show its centrality throughout Scripture, strengthen the church's commitment to this doctrine, and demonstrate its application to the Christian life.

Horatio Spafford and his wife, Anna, live in Chicago in the mid-nineteenth century. Pillars of the community and of their church, they lead a life of service to others. Anna, a Norwegian immigrant, who had suffered the loss of her parents at an early age, feels keenly aware of the blessings she and Horatio enjoy through financial security, the love of friends and their four young daughters. Chicago is a city experiencing exponential growth in the 1860's. Horatio and his business partner, Henry, are acutely aware of the financial opportunities this growth presents, so they invest heavily in real estate. As construction soars, so do Horatio's hopes and dreams. Then suddenly, on a warm, dry evening in October of 1871, this all comes crashing down. The Spafford's face this tragedy as they always had, by putting others first. Volunteering their time over the next couple of years to serve those whose burdens are heavier than their own leaves them both physically and emotionally exhausted. A trip abroad seems to be just what they need to revive both their energy and their spirit. No one could have predicted the adversity yet to come. Horatio is faced with incomprehensible news that would test the faith of most. Where others may have lost their belief in God, his shines through with words of conviction that will prove to inspire individuals for generations to come! 'It Is Well' is a story of divine triumph over debilitating tragedy which will inspire its readers to greater heights of faith, both in humanity and in God.